Lakeland reports rising census, staffing pressures and internal hire for assistant administrator

At the May 21 Lakeland Healthcare Center Board of Trustees meeting, staff reported increased resident census and continued staffing pressures, and announced an internal promotion to the newly budgeted assistant administrator position.

Business reporting for March showed increased overtime and crisis-pay hours; staff said March call-ins included 42 CNAs and three nurses. Administrators told trustees the facility’s payer mix in the reporting period was about 61 percent Medicaid, nearly 12 percent Medicare and 26.7 percent private pay. At the time of the meeting staff said the facility census was 87.

Staff said aging accounts receivable rose and cited some timing-related Medicaid claims delays that were resolved in the following month. The report noted the facility is seeing higher crisis-pay usage as staff fill needed shifts.

On hiring and administration, trustees were told Andrea Jacobs, the facility social worker who has 13 years in county service and five years at Lakeland, has been promoted to the assistant administrator position budgeted for 2025. Administrators said Jacobs will begin training into the role and staff will bring her to a future board meeting.

Discussion and next steps: Staff said recruitment and retention efforts continue and that several employees are attending school this year; trustees asked for updates on staffing and were told leadership will continue to pursue applicants and training pipelines.